Anupama Nair
www.mediaeyenews.com
Bio Bubble, this is a word I am hearing frequently, and my curiosity was aroused. So, I thought let me do a research and know more about it. Here I am with all the details you need to know. Cricketers felt they were undergoing Bio Bubble fatigue. What is Bio Bubble. “Bio Bubble is a bio-secure environment planned to prevent the spread of coronavirus or Covid-19”. With bio-secure venues for cricket matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its member boards have been aiming to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus from one person to another during an ongoing tournament or a bilateral series. It is like an ‘invisible shield’, that helps in hosting sporting events across the world during the pandemic.
The bio-secure environment can be in a hotel or stadium and the players are allowed to access only those parts to prevent any physical interaction with the outside world. Different zones are created for players, match officials, staff members, hotel staff, security personnel and medical teams. All of them must remain only in their allotted zones. In case of breach of bio-bubble, the person has to be isolated and would need to test covid negative twice before entering the bubble again.
To enter a Bio Bubble, a player needs to clear the RT-PCR test before leaving his home country. Upon arrival at the destination, he will be tested again for COVID-19 and has to be isolated in a room until the results are declared.
“The rigors of living in a bio-secure environment for months will take a toll even if your name is Bradman”, said the outgoing India head coach Ravi Shastri. He opined that sooner or later the ‘bubble will burst’. Shastri’s, tenure with the Indian team ended after the T20 World Cup in the UAE. The Indian players complained about Bio Bubble fatigue. They should have thought of it before IPL. Where the BCCI erred was in allowing star players like Rohit Sharma, Rahul and others who were in the Indian team to play in the IPL. They should have been given a rest. But then money speaks and the team suffered. “One thing I would say, this is not an excuse, but this is a fact. When you're six months in a bubble, this team, there are a lot of players on this team who play all three formats of the game”, said Shastri in the media interaction after the Namibia match.
But is that an excuse for India’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup? Why was IPL held in September just before the World Cup? BCCI needs to give an answer. India has a long schedule ahead in 2021-2022, what will happen in the next World Cup, I for sure would love to know?
